The 69th Annual Hunger Games
by JonB-asl-c-w
Summary: "Welcome, everyone! It's that time of year again - to select who will represent District 7 in the 69th annual Hunger Games!" our District escort chirped. He plunged his hands into the bowl, filled with our names. He read them both in a loud, albeit high-pitched voice, and I froze, watching my best friend leave his spot next to me. "Wait!" I shouted. "Hold on!" - rated T to be safe
1. Nervous for my Friends

Chapter 1: The Reaping

Sunlight drifted through the window, urging me to open my eyes and wake up. This is the time to make a choice. Either spring to life in a fit of entusiasm and tackle the day with excitement, or lazily get up, draw the curtains shut, and go back to sleep rather than face the daily challenges.

Naturally, I chose the latter. Or I would have. No matter how hard I argue and bicker, the law requires I head to the town square for the reaping. So I arose from the ocean of sheets and blankets, put on my messy button-up shirt, struggled with those tight shoes that never seem to fit even after an hour of adjustments, tidied myself up and sauntered downstairs into the kitchen, cataching the note that said "Jon, went to get milk, Love Mom".

Here in District 7, my life can get pretty solitary. My mother is a papermaker, one in high demand with the Capitol, and my father is a woodcutter. They work hard, long hours a day to keep me, my sister, and my brother happy and well-fed. Sometimes, when I walk to school, my neighbors eye me with envy and longing, wanting to live as comfortably as I do. My brother and sister are too old to be reaped, so they live with my dad, whose house is farther away from the town square. They still make it to the reapings to see if I made it, though.

Well, even though I live pretty high-class for someone in the District, that doesn't mean I'm not busy. I'm sort of an amateur herbalist; I go into our expanse of wooded land identical to almost every other citizens and pick edible and medicinal plants in order to earn some pocket money. Once in a while, when someone's kid is sick or something, they take them to me to help. Not to toot my own whistle, but I'm not bad at what I do.

I opened the crusty refridgerator by the kitchen window and took out a couple of apples from the town orchard. I munched on them half-heartedly, as they were starting to go bad, but I ate them nonetheless. "There are many kids who would love a full plate of food, Jonathan," my mother would say, "so eat it all!"

Time began to dwindle, and I checked my old watch - a family heirloom passed down from my mother's side of the family. It was my sister Rose's at first, then my brother Anthony's when she became too old for the Hunger Games, then mine when he was too. Just when I was about to leave without her, someone knocked on the old pinewood door.

"Jon?" a girl said. "You there?"

"Grace?" I asked. "Is that you? Do you know where my mom went?"

"She'll be at the reaping!" a woman shouted from the edge of the yard. "She said for you to come with us!"

"Alright!" I called back. I opened the door, seeing a girl a year younger than me. Grace was my cousin, and this was her first year eligible for the reaping. Her older brother Eamonn has two years left and her younger sister Abigail is still eight years old. My Aunt Jo Ann was calling us over from the middle of the dirt path the led to the plaza. We were already late as it is.

"You okay, Grace?" I asked as leaves fell, drifting lightly through the autumnal air. "You nervous at all?"

"A little," she admitted. "You?"

"Not so much for me," I said. "My friends are more likely anyway." That's true. Most of my friends are in the bowl about twenty times each for tesserae.

Grace swallowed. I slung an arm around her shoulders encouragingly. "Don't worry, Grace. You won't get picked. I'd volunteer for you."

"You can't volunteer for a girl!" she laughed.

"I'd disguise myself as one," I joked. "You know, pigtails, makeup, and a little skirt, too!"

We were both laughing now. "Besides," she said, "if you were in the Games, you could just bore the other tributes to death!"

I made a face. "Bore? I'm not that boring!"

"Yeah you are Mr. "dandelion-leaves-are-high-in-vitamin-B-complex-blah-blah"! Remember when Abby fell asleep when you were in the other room? Not only are you boring, but you're loud too! You'd kill everyone from miles away!"

"Nah," I chuckled. "Well... maybe."

We talked until we approached the town square. I instructed Grace on where to go after they pricked your finger, and went to the boys side after. We were a oddly concenctrated crowd of grey and white shirts. As more people filed into the square, my nervousness returned to replace the fun I just had with Grace.

"Hey," a short boy said. I was about two heads taller than him. He had a mess of hazelle-ish hair that reminded me of the tea my mother would sometimes bring home from the market. "Good luck today," he said, shaking my hand lightly. He looked weaker for some reason. It seemed to me that he hadn't eaten or slept lately.

"You too, Nick," I said, shaking his hand back. More than anything, I wanted my friends to last the day. Nick was one of my closest friends, too. For a while, I had no one to talk to in school, until we discovered we both had a taste in making fun of the teachers. A friendship was bound to blossom.

"Welcome, everyone!" a high-pitched chirp came from the stage. Our district escort, Persyus, giggled lightly. "Happy Hunger Games! It's that time of year again!"

I didn't pay attention to the same presentation of the origin of the Hunger Games and the Dark Days, and all that stuff. I just wanted it to be over with. It was finally time for the girl tribute to be chosen. Persyus wobbled in his awkwardly shaped shoes over to the bowl with the girls names in it. Grace was in there, just once.

"Ladies first!" he sang. There was something about his accent that reminded me of dolphins.

He exuberantly dug his hand to the bottom of the bowl, jamming his hand against the bottome. "Careful," I muttered, "don't chip a nail."

"Maria Edison!" he announced. Everyone quieted. I cursed under my breath. Not Maria... the arena would eat her alive. The poor girl dazedly walked up to the stage, guided by a Peacekeeper. I could hear her mother crying and her sisters screaming. All I can think to remain positive is that Grace was safe this year. No one volunteered in Maria's place when Persyus asked.

When Maria took her place next to Persyus, she seemed like she was about to keel over. Her coloring dropped to a pale white, and she was shivering.

"Now for the gentlemen!" Persyus did a little dance over to our bowl. He covered his eyes with one hand while his other plunged into the bowl, swimming through the slips of paper with our names on them. He seemed to relish our tension. After what seemed an eternity, he plucked a name from the bin. He read the name in a loud, albeit high-pitched and very irritating, voice.

"Nicolas Klause!" What? Did he..? I looked to Nick at my side. But he wasn't there.

* * *

Woo! First fanfiction!  
What do you guys think? Too short? Unnatural flow? I need criticism, so leave a comment in a review! (Please?)


	2. I volunteer!

Chapter 2

"Nick?" I asked. I looked to my side. Gone. I look up by the stage. Nick was making his way up the steps... "Wait!" I shout. Persyus and Nick and the Peacekeepers and all of District 7 watched me curiously. "Stop! I..."

"What is it, young man?" Persyus questioned. "Don't waste time! We're on a schedule!"

"I..." _Say it! _"I volunteer!"

Silence. Even Maria was temporarily snapped out of her stupor. Everyone stared.

"Excuse me?" Persyus quiped. "What did you just say?"

"I volunteer." I said it as forcefully as I could, but it still came out meek. "For... for the Games."

"Jon!" someone shouted from behind me. I heard something hit the ground and liquid burst out. I turned to see my mother, who dropped the milk on the pavement, a puddle forming at her feet. I swallowed and wobbled up to the stage. Nick was frozen on the stairs still, staring at me as I slipped around him and took my place next to Maria.

"Well!" Persyus announced. "It seems we have our two tributes! Maria Edison and..."

"Jonathan Maddox," I filled in. I breathed deeply, trying to calm down my racing heart. I felt like I was going to be sick...

"Jonathan Maddox!" Persyus exclaimed.

The rest of the reaping was a blur, and I remember the white Peacekeeper uniforms and sitting on a velvet armchair, alone in an over-decorated room.

"Jon!" My mother shouted. She ran in, embracing me immediately. "What - why did you - I..."

"Mom," I said, feeling empty. "Calm down. I'll be fine, okay? Just... fine."

She was sobbing now, her tears staining my shirt. Her hysteric bawling made me feel slightly guilty.

"Mom... where's Dad? And Rose and Anthony?"

"They were... r-running late. I thought they'd make it in time, but... ohh, my Jonny..."

I grabbed her head and looked her in the eyes. "Mom. I will win. Trust me. Tell everyone else I love them, alright? I'll come home, and we'll live in the Victors' Village, and we'll be rich and happy."

"I don't care about that..." she choked. "Just come back to us."

"I will. I promise. Go home, okay?"

She nodded and got up, walking out of the room. It was quiet for a while, until I heard arguing outside.

"Hey, you can't go in there!"

"Get the hell off of me! That's our friend in there!" a girl shouted.

"Sorry, missie, but the rules are - oof!" He was silenced, and the door opened (I got a glimpse of a Peacekeeper on the ground, cradling his groin). A girl with raven hair and Nick came in, and I jumped out of my seat. The girl came over, and I suspected a hug or something, but instead she slapped me in the face. Hard.

"What, are you insane?" she shouted. "Volunteering... ridiculous!"

"What, do you expect me to let Nick go and die?" I defended. "To do nothing?"

"That's what everyone does every year! Send their kids off to kill each other for the Capitol's enjoyment! But you vo-lun-teered for that!" And she took it upon herself to smack me on each syllable. "And now I'll feel worse watching my friend die!"

"Adrianna -"

"Aaah!" she shrieked. "Just... come back, alright? I don't care how, just do it! I don't care if you go Career, or act like a wimp, or whatever!"

"I promise."

"Fine," Adrianna pouted, crossing her arms. "...Good luck, by the way." She walked outside.

"Um... thanks?"

All the while, Nick stood apart from us, looking horribly guilty. "Hey, Nick," I offered.

"'Hey'? Just '_hey'_?" he shook his head. "What was all that? Are you an idiot?" he shouted. That's strange. It's the first time I heard him raise his voice. "You just... you - why? Why did you volunteer?"

"'Cuz you were going to die."

"But now you are! You're going to go in there, get yourself impaled on a spear or something, and we'll never see you again. How do you expect me to live with that?"

What he said surprised me. "I..." I didn't know what to say.

"Just... win for us, you know? If not for you, for the rest of us back home."

Home... I wonder how long it'd be until I come back.

"Time's up!" the Peacekeeper ordered, dragging Nick out of the room. I caught a wince of pain on the Peacekeeper's face. Adrianna must have kicked him hard.

Then the doors closed. It was silent, except for my breathing. Why did everyone think I couldn't do it? With some luck, I could win. I sighed. What have I gotten myself into? Grace hadn't even said goodbye...

* * *

Yay! Chapter 2! Just a heads up for everyone, the next chapter will be in the actual Games, with flashbacks showing what happened in the interviews, chariot rides, etc, etc. I'm not good with putting off the action.


	3. Knick of Time: The Bloodbath

Chapter 3

_Sixty, fifty-nine, fifty-eight..._

I gulped. Snow airily drifted through wispy, grey clouds that concealed the sky. I didn't pay attention as ice crystals began to catch on my eyelashes, or to the nearly frozen pedestals that didn't only reflect, but amplified my fear. Only one thing mattered. I focused ahead on the golden horn, filled with precious supplies and advantageous weapons.

I looked to the left of me. Rex, the boy from District 1 threw a sideways glare at me. Me, who got a better training score than him. I was especially proud of that. It also convinced my that I _could_ win this. But he was still a threat.

_Fifty, forty-nine, forty-eight..._

I saw Maria, on the other side of the Cornucopia. She looked nervous. Well, that's an understatement. The girl looked like hell. She hasn't slept well in days, barely eaten anything all week, she seemed like she was about to pass out.

Despite the persona I've created for the Capitol - the insensitive, jerky type - I did care for my fellow tribute. I didn't want her to be killed. But it couldn't be helped.

_Forty, thirty-nine, thirty-eight..._

I even had a good plan. I knew what to do at the Cornucopia to keep from getting harmed. Ah, but if only the count-down would end! I'm getting antsy!

Instead of focusing on that, I assessed the environment that Gamemakers created. Snowy forest. It reminded me of home. It's too bad there aren't any edible plants, but I'll make do with trapping animals.

_Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight..._

One minute. What passed me by so often in District 7 seemed like an eternity here. This time, every second mattered. Every moment was important. I surveyed the rest of the tributes. It seems the only Career near enough to be dangerous was Rex. Even then, he wasn't anything special.

The girl from 5 was on my right. I ignored her. On either sides of her and Rex were the girls from 11 and 8. 11 wasn't really a fighter. 8, however, was shortempered. She picked fights with the Careers.

_Ten, nine, eight..._

Well, this is it.

_Seven, six, five..._

My golden watch - the one I wore on the reaping day - seemed to weigh heavier and heavier with each second.

_Four, three, two, one..._

I was beginning to wonder if Nick was worth it.

_GO._

My feet flew off the circle. It was as if all sound stopped. The weather began to worsen, the winds filling my ears, muffling al lnoise except for the crunch of snowfall underneath my feet. I ran diagonally, slipping and eking by the Careers. I scooped up a backpack, and smiled when most of the others ingnored me, going for the weapons in the center. I took my precious supplies, running to the edge of the clearing.

Then I stopped.

Why? I'm not sure. It all seemed too easy, truthfully. I watched the bloodbath in morbid earnest, unable to draw away from the fighting.

"Jon!" someone shouted. I recognized that scream. It was Maria.

She was cornered by Rex. She slumped against the Cornucopia, Rex readying the spear in his hand. I sprinted over to them, pushing down frantic tributes that were stupid enough to get in my way. He lifted his arm, aiming it towards Maria's heart... and I leapt.

I completely knocked Rex off his feet. The spear flew out of his hands, and I slammed him in the face with my backpack. Now, I'm not sure I explained before. I'm thirteen, and big. I'm about six foot nothing, and I was determined to _screw_ this son of a bitch. I punched him in the temple, dazing him. I clamped my hands down on his windpipe, forcefully cutting off his oxygen. _Die already! _I thought. Maria was functioning again, and dove on his legs to help keep him in check. I ignored Rex's clawing at my wrists, the blood sticking between my fingernails, and the coughed-up mucus in my face. I just wanted him to die.

"Rex?" someone shouted. Demonia, his district partner, was speeding over, a sword in hand. I cursed, reaching for the nearby, discarded spear. I grabbed it, slamming the butt repeatedly into his temple, ditching that idea when I realized that stabbing him in the eye sockets was a better plan. All movement ceased, and Maria and I darted off in opposite directions. I grabbed my backpack and the spear, making a beeline for the woods.

I looked back, expecting Demonia to attack, but only saw her gaping over Rex's injuries and attempt to find a pulse.

* * *

I ran through the woods, not stopping for anything. I wove between trees, hearing the cannons fire now, but not listening unless it was my own. Bark brushed against my skin, tearing the cold, brittle flesh open. I ran until the sounds of fighting faded, the Cornucopia invisilbe behind trees and underbrush. I soon collapsed in a small clearing, engulfing the cold, numbing air my lungs desperately needed.

I laid there, panting, until snow began to build up on top of me. I stood up, my legs sore and my head spinning, and settled down on a fallen log. I rummaged through the pack I earned, leaving the spear on the ground. It was still blood-stained - it gave me shivers. I managed to scrape up about three yards of rope, two knives, - one with rough grooves, the other completely smooth - a small hatchet that I could use as another weapon, a full water bottle that came with a few packs of iodine, two plastic bags of beef jerky, and some mittens.

I couldn't believe my luck. Overall, these were some very good supplies. I placed it all back in the bag, bending over to pick up the spear. I drank some water, and munched on some jerky as I walked further into the woods.

Suddenly, the anthem blared, and the snow stopped immediately, like someone turning off a faucet of water. I caught sight of smoke nearby, a sure sign of something no tribute could ignore - fire... warmth. Deciding to investigate later, I looked up into the sky. The pictures of the dead tributes illuminated the forest.

First was the Rex, from 1. A Career tribute killed in the bloodbath. I could hear the Capitol citizens betting on me already. Next was the boy from three, Justin. Then was the blind boy from 5 who never showed up for training. Then both from six, a pair of twins named Christine and Ryan. The males from 8, 9, and 10 are shown, and its dark again.

Eight dead. Not nearly enough to put me at an advantage. I sat on the ground, sighing heavily. Then I remembered the fire nearby. I crept over towards its general direction, stopping when I heard voices.

"Snuff it out!" a girl's voice shouted.

"With what?" another said. "I don't have anything!"

"You have snow, duh! Hurry, hurry!"

There was a sizzle, and the smoke in the sky dissipated slightly. I heard them run out from the clearing, catching their faces between the trees. They were the girls from 8 and 9. District 8 actually managed to get her hands on a bow. The girl from 9 had a large backpack on her shoulders, and followed 8 obediently. I jumped into their clearing, assuring myself that no one else could've saw the fire, as no one followed me and the other tributes extinguished the fire rather quickly.

I sat against a small pine tree, trying to fall asleep. And then I noticed the arrow coming out of the corner of my eye in the knick of time.

* * *

I suppose I should explain. This is a self-insert fic. Most of the other tributes are my friends ('cept for most of the Careers and the unnamed tributes killed at the Cornucopia). Right now, I will tell you that the character names are completely fictional (except for my first name) and the characters are only _based_ off of real people. So take that, any potential stalkers! Muahaha!

All characters and story of the actual series are property of Suzanne Collins. The characters and story I made are property of ME, so if they wander into your story, bop them on the head and shoo them back here.


	4. Careers

Chapter 4

"For the last time," I said, staring at the arrow that might drive into my brain, "I said I do not want to kill you!"

Well, I'm not sure. Having a weapon pointed in your face is pretty provocative. The District 8 girl narrowed her eyes. "Why should I believe you?" she said.

"Because I want an ally with a weapon nearby," I lied. "Alliance?"

The District 9 girl's face lit up. Not to be mean, but she was pretty short, and my guess is she was looking forward to a giant human shield. I was thinking about revoking my offer, but only when District 8 wasn't armed.

"Can he join?" she asked.

"Alex! He killed a Career! What's keeping him from killing us?" the other said, not taking her eyes off of me.

"You guys saw that?" I asked, surprised. Regaining my composure, I decided to mess with them. "Anyways, what's stopping you from killing each other in your sleep, or something?"

"Oh, no!" Jaycie said, shaking her head. "We won't fall for that mumbo-jumbo. We're sticking together until the Final 8. And anyway! If you keep pointing out that we'll eventually have to kill each other, what's stopping you from slitting our throats?"

"Isn't it clear at this point?" I deadpanned, eying the arrow. "You've proven to be pretty threatening. And I don't want to test how good a shot you are by running away."

"Come on, Jaycie, can he please come?" Alex urged.

"No, Alex," she said.

"But he can help!"

"It's a ruse!"

"If we think he's up to something, we can ditch him, alright?"

"Why don't I just kill him now?" Jaycie shouted, whipping around to look at Alex.

_Now!_ Quick as a flash, I grabbed the bow and thrust it upward. Jaycie released the arrow in shock and it flew into the trees above. Twisting it around, I yanked the bow from her hands and leapt back. Alex jumped at me with her knife, swinging diagonally, but I sidestepped, smacking her in the head with the bow.

"I told you so!" Jaycie shouted, drawing an arrow and holding it like a spear. She stepped closer, and I backed up against a rock. Just when she was about to attack, she grabbed Alex - who now tended to her face - and fled the clearing, like a frightened animal.

"Whew," I breathed out. I slumped to the ground, trying to get some rest, until Jaycie and Alex sprinted around the corner again. There breath was stifled, as if they tried not to make too much noise, and they climbed up a small tree. From here, they were surprisingly hidden within the snow-covered branches.

Then I saw what scared them. I can't believe they came this far from the Cornucopia, truthfully.

The Careers.

Crap! I tried to scramble up a tree, my freezing-cold fingers numb and unresponsive. After feebly gripping a branch and falling back into the snow in a heap, the Careers actually _entered_ the clearing, chattering and laughing, like one big, happy, murderous family. Thankful they hadn't yet recognized me, I leapt over the rock and into the bushes, peeking out from underneath.

"This is where the fire was," I heard a gritty voice say. It was Octavius, the 18-year-old colossus from District 2. Oddly, he was a pretty nice guy, but in the Games, I'm sure he'd snap my neck if he had the chance. He got a ten in training, so he must be ruthless.

"But no tributes," a girl said. I recognized her voice, it was a sound I hated as much as nails on a chalkboard - Demonia. "Bummer." She got a 9, but all I think she did was strip for the Gamemakers.

"They could be hiding," the District 4 boy suggested. He was pretty small for a Career. At fifteen, I was much taller, but he must've had some sort of talent if the others let him in the alliance. "Someone should check the trees."

"I'll do it," Claudia said. She's from District 2. She was only twelve, too, and technically not a Career. I'll explain that later.

She walked around, looking up into the trees from time to time. When she got up to Jaycie and Alex's, I thought they were goners, but all I saw her do from here was nod and search some more.

"Where's that District 7 brat?" Demonia snarled. "The one who killed Rex."

"Probably long gone, somewhere far away, laughing at you and how you could only watch him stab Rex," Claudia snark-ed. "Any more questions?"

"Shut up, Two," Demonia hissed. "I don't need you to remind me what happened."

"Deal with it, Demon," Claudia shouted.

"Shut up, or I'll make you shut up!"

Even though I couldn't see her face, I could tell she was smirking. "I dare you."

Just when I though organs were about to be tossed in all directions, the District 4 boy stepped between them. "Let's now fight," he said, "save it for the end of the Games, when you need it, okay?" For some reason, it seemed as if he was directing that last comment at Claudia.

"Outta the way, Shrimp, this is between me and her!" Demonia growled, shoving him down.

"Don't - push - Max." Claudia seethed.

"Why not?" Demonia sneered.

"I'll kill you."

"Lalalala!" someone sang. At the edge of the clearing was the girl from 4, humming and singing to herself. She walked with a rather wistful energy, like she doesn't care where she is.

Demonia and Claudia ignored her, and I was beginning to think I could slip away while they started fighting. When Demonia drew her sword from her belt, I heard rustling and everything stopped. I couldn't see who it was from behind the rock, but it must've been important if it quieted even Demonia.

"Get her!" she shouted, darting in the general direction of the noise. Octavius went next, his massive, boot-covered feet out of veiw. District 4 scurried after them next, followed by Claudia, who sent a thumbs-up to Jaycie and Alex's tree. Then they were gone.

Another tribute, I reasoned. I got up from my hiding spot, thorns from the bush weaving through my clothing, and I ran from the clearing, leaving the weapons and collapsing in the snow a couple miles away, drifting off to sleep at the sound of a cannon.

* * *

_The horses pulled the chariot ahead, and they were off... The seventh one in - the kids standing there were smiling and throwing paper airplanes into the cheering crowd. They wore headdresses that resembled trees, and suits that looked like bark. The paper said "Sponsor District 7!" in golden letters. How did I know that? I don't know. I think that boy in the seventh chariot is me. _

_Yeah, that's it. Right, I'm District 7... It felt a bit surreal to see myself like I wasn't really myself. The tributes in the first chariot wore diamond-studded, loose-fitting clothes that flew behind them, like a cape. The ones in the second chariot were decked out in medeival-style armor, brandishing glowing swords that left a lingering trail of light wherever they were swung. Each costume was truly fascinating... The chariots then stopped and encircled a large balcony with a white-bearded man seated inside. _

_He said something about some sort of games, but I didn't quite listen. Everything was drowned out by... by some sort of howling noise..._

* * *

I jumped up, studying my surroundings. The sun shone, the birds sang, everything that should have been present regarding a normal morning was there.

And cue the unnatural, demonic howling and terrified screams, followed by two cannon-fires. I was alive? Yes, that wasn't my cannon. Good, I suppose? I was too groggy to think straight. Then it hit me - whatever made that howl just killed two people, and it was nearby. Adrenaline immediately coursed through my system, and I was soon at the top of a maple tree.

"What _was_ that?" I shouted, clinging to a branch for dear life. The backpack was still around my back, my supplies still inside. I calmed myself down by forcibly taking deep breaths. I drank some of my water, ate a couple strips of jerky and ate about a handful of maple leaves (they're edible and help with hunger, but aren't particularly tasty or nutritious). I arranged my hatchet against my belt, in case I ran in with any other tributes today.

"Achoo!" I sneezed. I rubbed my nose and took off my jacket, tying it around my waist.

Wait, what? Rewind a bit... I sneezed. There was pollen and _leaves_ on the trees. And over there! Some berries were on a bush, next to it some flowers in full bloom. It was even too warm to keep on my jacket!

"It's... spring?" Huh. That's a pretty good trick of the Gamemakers. Definitely a keeper. So if that's true, then tomorrow will be summer. Which means hot. I hate hot weather. I climbed further up the tree, pollen escaping into my nostrils, making me sneeze some more. Summer also means that I'll need more water.

Another cannon fired. Speaking of which, I wondered who died before I blacked out... Up at the top of the tree, I looked around, trying to find water.

"Damn," I cursed, spotting a lake near the Cornucopia. It was the only water source in the whole Arena, as far as I could see. And right on the shore, I spotted the pile of supplies that belonged to the Careers. The Gamemakers have given them an indispensible advantage.

* * *

Yayy! I'm actually starting to work a groove in writing this! Anyone reading this who knows Metroid Prime (a video game) it's one of the most fun games I've ever played - until I got killed by a giant rock thing. Getting crushed to death is a downer. xD

Oooh! Listen to my cleverness! My cousin and I go to a summer orchestra class, and one of the songs we're going to play for a concert is a pirate song (it's actually about yachts, but it sounds like pirates to me). So the conductor, Mr. G, said "it's official!" and some other stuff. But then I started CRACKING UP. I was like "O-FISH-AL, I get it! Cuz of boats!" and one of the violinists started laughing with me, and my cousin, who was sitting next to me was like "what are you doing..."

THE NEXT CHAPTER IS SO EXCITING, PREPARE THYSELVES!

Oh, and I added chapter names.

Special thanks to Cotix14 - my first reviewer! This chapter is for you!


	5. Escape!

Chapter 5

This was all so incredibly unfair, I just wanted to scream. The Gamemakers saw it fit to make it even more impossible for me to win. Everyone is going to be attracted to the lake like moths to flame. The Careers are probably combing the woods now, searching for anyone in need of hydration.

In fact, they might find me, as I'm hiding out there now. Sure enough, only Mackenzie was at the camp, fast asleep, loosely holding a spear. I just want to scamper by and fill my water bottle unnoticed, but it all seems too easy, like it's a trap. Nothing.

As soon as I darted out of the bushes, another figure followed. I panicked, knowing it wanted to kill me, and I drew my hatchet from my belt. I scooped up as much water as I could and spun around, ax raised, and I'm met with a familiar sight.

"Maria?" I breathe. The girl stood there, paralyzed, eying the weapon in my hand. Sure enough, under the emaciated form and matted clothes was Maria. She held an empty bottle in her hand.

Her poor state struck a chord of guilt through me. Maybe if I stayed with her, I could've helped, could've somehow protected her. "I'm sorry," I mouth, lowering my arm and speeding away. The last thing I hear is Maria's cry of warning before something slams into my side and knocks me off my feet.

* * *

_"Hey," she said, approaching the boy from District 7. "Those were some pretty fancy moves out there."_

_He only raised an eyebrow in response. _

_"We were thinking..." she smirked, "if you wanted to be in our alliance..."_

_"Save it," he said, "I don't make friends. Especially with Careers."_

_"Then you'd be relieved to know I'm not a Career," she said. "By "we", I don't mean the Careers. I mean me and Max."_

_"You're not a Career? I don't get it."_

_"I'm technically not supposed to be here. I volunteered when a Career girl should've."_

_"Why? Why come here when you could've stayed home?"_

_She looked down, refusing to meet his gaze. "Things weren't going too well back home in Two. I thought if I die here, more people will be happy than sad."_

_"So coming here is basically a suicide mission for you," he said as if stating a fact rather than asking a question. "What if you win?"_

_"Then I'd have proven that a Career doesn't always win."_

_He scoffed. "I'm not exactly spending my training time writing a will. I'd prefer to think that _I'm _going to prove it."_

_"I'm just taking advantage of the Games. It's a win-win situation for me." _

_He seemed surprised, but tried not to show it. "You know what would happen if somebody else heard that, right?"_

_She nodded. "Let the better tribute win then," she said, extending her hand. He took it and shook firmly. "Good luck."_

_"You too." _

_She walked off, heading some other direction. _

_"Wait!" he said. "What's you're name?"_

_"Claudia," she smirked. _

_"I'm Jon."_

_Then everything faded into black... and there was a stinging sensation in my cheek..._

* * *

"Wake up," she said. I struggled against my bonds that forced me to a tree, earning another slap to the face. "You awake now, Seven?" Only one voice could send shivers down my spine like that.

"Yeah," I said, opening my eyes to glare at Demonia, "'cept I kinda wish this was a nightmare." She glided her knife blade along my jawline as punishment. Blood filled my mouth and dripped down my neck. She was being gracious; she could've made it much worse.

"He's pathetic," she muttered, walking away. "I can't believe he killed Rex. He's so predictable."

"Yeah, Rex sure saw that spear coming through his brain. You know me, same-old, same-old!" I retorted. I expected Demonia to charge at me, but she instead sat next to Octavius around a campfire and accepted a meat leg from him, occasionally taunting me with it.

The mop of curly hair next to me snapped up and mumbled something. "Wha- What's happening? Where am I?"

"Tied to a tree," I offer. "'Bout to be slaughtered. Don't worry, though, she's saving the worst for me."

Maria just gulped.

So we stood there, tied to a tree as the Careers greedily inhaled their breakfast, making jokes and seemingly _enjoying_ each other's company. Demonia draped herself all over Octavius, and sadly, it appeared he liked it. I was going to say something on how he could do better than her, but I didn't want to risk being attacked in a fit of slutty rage. The ropes around my ankles and wrists made them itch heavily, and I strained against them.

"Hold on, guys," Claudia said, letting go of Max's hand, "I need to use the bathroom. Be right back!" She got up and walked past me, smirking for whatever reason. Max caught my eye, and he smiled, too. Weird... aren't they going to watch in earnest as Demonia mutilates me?

"So who's left?" I ask Maria. "Who died last night, do you know?"

"I think both from 12 died... The mutts, I think," she answered. "Wolves. I don't know who else."

I sigh. The slice along my jaw began to ache a little. It was too dang hot, too! I hated summer, and I was too thirsty. In fact, my throat was desert dry and parched. My stomach rumbled too.

"By the way, what hit me last night?" I asked.

"Some trap," Maria said. "It knocked you unconscious."

"A trap?" Huh. Clever. Seeing as how Demonia and Claudia don't seem to have the patience for the thing, and how Octavius moves too brusquely, and how Mackenzie doesn't seem to even be focusing on what she's eating right now, Max is the likeliest candidate for setting traps. I know my way around basic snares, but Max must've perfected the skill. "How'd you get trapped?"

"Snare," Maria explained. "Around my ankle."

"Hey, Seven!" Demonia shouted. "You hungry?" She walked up to me, food in hand and waved in front of my nose. Ohhh, it smelled so good. "Would you like some of this tender, juicy, delicious-" She was silenced after I spat a mix of blood and saliva on her meal. Maybe I deserved that punch to the throat, but it was worth the look of surprise on her face.

"Take it easy, Demon," Claudia said, walking back. She jammed something firmly into my hand, keeping it from her allies' eyes. I felt the item inquisitively, and felt something penetrate my hand. It hurt a lot, and it took a bit to keep from crying out. I soon realized it was a knife, and a whopping sharp one at that. But why'd she give it to me?

"Shut up, Two!" Demonia shouted, enraged. "I'm gonna give the audience a good show!" She gripped a knife so tightly that her perfectly manicured hands turned pearly white. Her eyes narrowed into dagger-like slits, and I struggled with breathing. I braced myself, staring her down, daring her to make a move... when she suddenly stopped.

"Wait," she purred, her voice icy and chilling, "why don't we start with... her?" She moved over to Maria, tracing the knife around her face.

"Don't," I said, half-begging, half-demanding.

"What's that?" Demonia whimpered in excitement. "I don't think she heard you..." She brought the knife to her ears, flicking her earlobes with the flat of the blade. "I don't think she will either..."

I thrashed against the ropes. This... witch was going to mutilate Maria. I couldn't stand it! I pictured her family, peeking through their hands, watching the girl from One toy with the weapon in her hand, examining Maria as if she was a piece of meat.

Just as Demonia was about to jam the knife through her eardrum, someone jumped onto her back. Our eyes met, and Claudia breathed a barely audible "run," before she repeatedly plunged a knife through Demonia's temple. It was horrible - she screamed once or twice, the meat becoming more tender at every stab - in, out, in, out, in a sickening rythm. Demonia fell to the ground, and a cannon fired. Claudia and Max sped away, leaving the rest of us to simply gape at the corpse now at our feet.

Octavius roared and ran after the other two. Mackenzie watched him sprint off, wondering what to do now that her alliance has disbanded. Immediately, she ran around, collecting supplies and a few weapons and sped off into the woods.

I remember Claudia's smirk. This was it. I twisted a bit against the tree to saw the rope that bound both me and Maria first. As I cut through the last stubborn fiber, we fell onto the ground, along with Demonia and the pool of blood around her, I thought we were going to make it.

Until the wolves howled. Mackenzie, now far into the woods, was screaming so loud I heard her from here. In a matter of minutes, she'd be dead, and Maria and I still had to get rid of the binds on our feet. But there wasn't enough time. Unless...

You see, I wasn't double-jointed. That made it hurt even worse. I felt the pop in my left shoulder when I brought my hands under my feet and out in front of me. I tried to use my only working hand to saw the rope around my ankle, but I couldn't tell who was howling louder - me or the wolves. I crawled over to Maria, who's simply been eyeing me incredulously all this time and I sawed the rope around her ankles. Blurs caught from the corner of my eyes and snapping sounds alerted me that the mutts must've been getting caught in Max's traps.

_Snap_! Maria's ropes fell to the ground, and we stood up. I shoved her towards the woods, running off to the other direction. The combination of blood loss, shock, and the pain in my shoulder was enough to make me dizzy. _No! _I thought. _Move, body, move!_

I stumbled through the woods until I came into a clearing, one with a tall tree that seemed very climbable. But... I couldn't climb it with my shoudler. I leapt into the air and landed on my left side, hearing and feeling the bone pop into its natural arrangement. I scrambled up the gnarled tree, my hands still bound and finally heard the mutts' footsteps coming from behind. I tried to climb higher, and something clawed my calf.

Ice. Fire. Blood. Pain. Screaming. Climbing. The last thing I remember before blacking out is watching the infuriated beasts circle the tree, their prey out of reach.

* * *

Okay, so it's taken me oodles of stress trying to get this chapter up, since the first time I tried and finished, the internet crashed and nothing was saved. NOTHING! I was all "NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" and I beat up a tree outside until I felt better.

Well today, I slept until noon, ate some stale cereal, and wrote this bloody chapter for you people! You're welcome!

Remember, it's rated T for a reason, and if kids can watch a PG-13 movie about the Hunger Games, where people get eaten alive by wolves, get their heads smashed in, get swarmed by killer bugs, and stupidly eat poisonous berries (WHY, Foxface? T_T), than this is fine.

... You know, I might edit this later on to make it better. Heads up for that, people. Anyways, if you thought this chapter was crazy, wait until I actually have to KILL some people! I loved killing off Demonia, too. But is our hero going to die in that tree from blood loss? I don't know. ;)


	6. A Debt to Repay

Chapter 6

_"Do you want to be coached together or seperately?" the man said. _

_The boy and girl looked at each other. The girl shrugged, and the boy said, "seperately."_

* * *

I groaned. "Owww..."

"Shh," a calming voice said. "You were attacked. Here, drink this." Something pressed against my mouth. _Water!_ It moistened my lips and my throat, and it felt so nice. She pulled it away after a couple of seconds.

"Where am I..."

"Shh, just rest," she said.

* * *

_"So," she said, coming up on the roof. "Uh... What's up?"_

_"Nothing," he said, staring at the city that illuminated the sky. "How are you feeling?"_

_"Like hell," she grumbled, sitting down next to him. "You?"_

_He shrugged. _

_"Sad?" she offered._

_No, sad wasn't it. More like afraid. Afraid that he might never come home. That his family would never see him again. That Nick would have to live with his death. "No," he said curtly. _

_"Only one of us can make it," she said numbly, sitting next to him. "I think it'll be you."_

_He smirked barely and rolled his eyes. "I don't want to win for the Capitol, though. I'm winning to go back home. You understand that, right?"_

_She nodded sullenly. "It's crazy," she sighed. _

_He looked towards her dubiously. _

_"These last couple of days all I've done is panic, cry, and give up. It's insane to think that tomorrow will..." she faded out, letting her sentence hang. _

_"I'm sorry."_

_"What for?"_

_"That I can't really help you."_

_"What do you mean?" _

_"I'm doing this alone. No allies. If I win, you have to die."_

_"That's not your fault."_

_"Just promise not to get yourself killed right away. If I lose, you winning would make it easier on my family."_

_"Same here." _

_They sat there, quiet enough to hear the subtle hum of the force field. They both expected the other to break the awkward silence, but they instead said nothing. _

_"My cousin didn't even say goodbye," he said._

_She looked down. _

_"I don't know why. To see her one more time... That also motivates me to go back home."_

_"I saw her talk to the Peacekeepers," she said._

_"I wonder why."_

_After another minute, Maria got up and wiped off any imaginary dust off her nightgown. "Well... see you tomorrow."_

_"You too," he said, still looking off into the distance. When she was out of earshot, he whispered, "Good luck, Maria."_

* * *

I groaned again. I tried to open my eyes, but it hurt to try.

"Shh," the same voice ordered. "Stay quiet. He's outside."

"Who?" I whispered, trying to ignore the throbbing in my leg and shoulder.

"District 2."

"Oh!" When I quieted, I heard it. Deep, clunking footsteps. Harried, quickened breathing.

"Where is she?" he shouted, and it echoed outside. "De- Demo-" he started coughing. More like wheezing. He must've caught a cold. Eventually his breathing and stomping subsided, but I strained my neck to here. Not a good decision. I hissed in pain, and I felt a pair of hands on me, urging me to rest.

"Where am I..."

"My name is Kirsten," she said. "I'm an ally."

Kirsten. Kirsten. I racked my brain. Ah! "Dis- District 5?"

"Mm-hm! I found you when I was foraging. The mutts were circling around a tree. After they eventually ran off, I dragged you out of the tree."

"Thanks..."

"It wasn't easy, but you're welcome. I just applied some medicine. It'll work better if you rest."

"No," I argued. "Not yet. Who died?"

"What do you mean?"

"In autumn."

"That was two days ago!" I gulped. _Two days? _How could that be? I thought... I...

"Did... did she make it?"

"Who?"

"Maria."

It was silent. I heard movement. She didn't answer.

"Did she make it or not?" I demanded hoarsely.

"No."

_No. No, no, no... _It echoed. I couldn't hear anything else. Not even the rumbling of my stomach, or Kirsten's apologies. Just "no". Maria was... she...

"What was it?"

"I don't know."

The tears flowed like the shiny kitchen faucet at home. Maria is... but she couldn't...

_She's dead, moron_.

* * *

The medicine from a generous sponsor worked like a charm. A day later, I was starving and ate whatever plant that I knew was safe to eat. I set some snares and caught two rabbits. I cooked them over the charred remains of an old fire Kirsten made the day before. She had been hiding out the whole time in a cave underneath a large plateau that overlooked the lake.

"So," I said as we ate the rabbit. "Who's left?" All the while I checked on the scar on my right calf. My left shoulder didn't feel as solid, either.

"Us, District 2 boy, the girls from 8 and 9, and District 11." One, two... About seven. That means Claudia, Max, Mackenzie... All dead. I wonder how they exactly died.

"I can't believe it. I've come so far."

Kirsten just smiled softly. I caught an unusual glint in her eye. "What?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing."

"So are they're any other alliances?"

"So we're in an alliance?"

"Well, you saved my ass," I deadpanned, smirking. "And it seems I'm the only one here who can use a weapon. We're stuck with each other." It's true, too. She saved my ass pretty well, and I need to repay it in some way. Might as well help out a little!

"Well, there's District 11. And I think District 9 and 8."

"Well so much for "we're gonna disband at the Final 8!"" I mocked, mimicing Jaycie's voice.

"What?" Kirsten said between laughs.

"Ran into 'em on the first day. Not pleasant. Barely made it outta there without having my brain impaled."

"Impaled on what?"

"She uses a bow. I took it from her, but ditched it when running away from the Careers."

"You've been everywhere lately," she said, impressed.

It felt comfortable, talking to her. Like I was at home, with one of my friends. If it's true I'm in the Final 8, I wonder when everyone was interviewed. My family, Nick, and Adrianna now see I was going to win. I knew I wouldn't've died. Proved it to them...

"How old are you?" Kirsten asked suddenly.

"Me?"

"No, the guy sitting next to you," she rolled her eyes.

"I'm thirteen."

"Seriously? You're just shy of the District 2 boy in height!"

"What? No."

"It's true!"

I put two fingers against my forehead, one at eye level, one at the hairline. "How much is there that I'm not aware of?" Even though I was trying to be funny, I realized my forehead was big - about two to three inches.

We both started laughing. Eventually, the sun began to set on the horizon, and Kirsten and I headed in to the cave.

That's when I heard it.

"To the remaining tributes of the 69th annual Hunger Games," Claudius Templesmith boomed over the microphone, "congratulations on surviving this long! I'm pleased to announce that tomorrow, there will be a Feast! In order to lengthen the endurance of the Games, the Cornucopia will be fully restocked again!"

* * *

Oooh! Most of this chapter was kinda character development, something that I hadn't really focused on. You guys ready for a FEAST? Guess what Jon's gonna do there! You'll never guess! Mwuahaha!

Lol :P Poor Maria. And Claudia. And Max and Mackenzie. Don't care about Demonia, though. In fact, I'll reread her death over and over until I feel all warm inside. :D

And see if you can spot it! I gave two very, very, VERY subtle foreshadows in here for the next chapter! I challenge you to find it! If you do, the next chapter will be dedicated to you!

If you didn't know, last chapter was autumn, this one was spring two days later.


	7. Everybody Plays to Win

Chapter 7

Kirsten and I both looked at each other. A Feast? Tomorrow? I was still trying to work my way around Claudius Templesmith's announcement.

"Should we go?" she asked.

"Yes," I said, "everyone else will, and if they get better supplies than us, then we're screwed."

"Yeah, but... I just don't trust it. It's a trick."

"Maybe, but we have to try, at least."

She sighed, but reluctantly agreed after more convincing. "Okay, fine. I have a plan. We lose a lot of sleep, though."

* * *

_There it was. His face with a number 9 flashing under it. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. _

_"That's - that's me! With a nine!"_

_"Great job, kid!" the older man congratulated, slapping him on the back. "We can use that!"_

_"Now we have to get ready for your interview!" an over-decorated male form chirped. "We start first thing tomorrow morning!"_

_"'Kay," he said, getting up. _

_"What did you show them, anyway?" the girl asked from the other couch._

_"Just... -"_

* * *

"Dude, wake up!" she whispered harshly. I rubbed my eyes, trying to stay awake.

"This is stupid," I said. "No one's gonna believe this."

"Just be quiet - aah! There's a bug!"

"They're normally underground, Kirsten. How'd you get that shovel, anyway?"

"Ever since autumn, there hasn't been anyone guarding the Career supplies. Easy picking," she answered. Huh. I never knew she was so... wily.

Well, I know that now. Even considering this as a hiding spot was pretty sneaky. I was beginning to wonder if I'm allied with my real enemy. Considering her strategy, she's been really clever so far. Hiding out in the caves, stealing from the Careers while avoiding Max's traps, picking _me _as an ally, and now - digging a hole underground and covering the top with a carpet-like layer of grass so we can get what we need from the Cornucopia first.

"So... what now?" I asked.

"We wait."

I sighed. I hated waiting. It's not that I wasn't patient, it's just not very fun when knowing that the next day could be when you get killed. It just feels... counter-productive.

"Can I go back to sleep?" I asked.

"Fine."

So I sat down comfortably (well, as about as comfortable as you could get in moist dirt) and tried to rest. Eventually, I drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_"Trust no one," the older man said. "Everyone's playing to win."_

_"But, Blight -"_

_"No one! Okay?"_

_"Um, alright... Not even Maria?"_

_"You can't trust each other," he said sadly. "At least one of you is going to die."_

_"Did you ally with anyone?" _

_He became silent. He must've not liked to talk about his Games. "Yes," he said after a while. "It ended badly."_

_"Alright," the younger one said. "I'll trust you. No allies."_

_"Smart choice."_

* * *

_"_Wake up!" she said, shaking me. "It's almost time!"

I nearly stood up, not remembering where I was. The pit was only about waist-high from the bottom. Luckily, I sat down before anything happened.

Then I heard fighting.

My eyes widened. "What's going on? They've started?"

"Shh," Kirsten said. "They're our diversion... District 11 is fighting 2. We can slip away while they're exhausted."

Sure enough, I heard the familiar voices of Octavius... and possibly Emily and James from 11. I heard the _twang_ of a bowstring and deduced that Jaycie and Alex must be here as well, sniping from the woods.

"This is it," I said. "We'll have to fight our way out."

"Get ready," Kirsten urged. "On the count of three, we jump out, grab weapons and speed away."

"Okay." I wondered if my leg and shoulder were healed enough for this.

"One..."

Octavius let out a roar of pain. An arrow must've found its target.

"Two..."

"Get back!" the boy from eleven said.

"Three!"

Kirsten and I flew from our hiding spot, surprising everyone there. We darted into the Cornucopia, and I grabbed the two nearest axes, watching the other tributes. Sure enough, an arrow protruded from Octavius' hip. James and Emily looked scared about having to fight us. I don't know what they're worried about - they're both eighteen. Kirsten ran around, grabbing all sorts of knives and swords. I stared down the others.

Then I noticed Jaycie and Alex from the woods. Yep, they're still buddy-buddy. Damn, it looks like Jaycie's a good shot, too.

Surprisingly, Octavius removed the arrow from his body and ran off, hobbling all the way into the woods. I didn't waste my time watching him, though. I had to dodge an arrow coming right towards me. I dove to the side, springing up immediately. James took that time to come at me with a sword. I swear it cut off some of my hair when I ducked. I checked him in the gut after that, knocking him back. I leapt away from him, throwing one of the axes point-blank.

Everything slowed down. James's eyes went wide. He stared at the ax in his chest, mouth agape. His eyes went even wider again, until he dropped to the ground in an unglorified heap, blood leaking from his body. A cannon fired. The look of shock is still plastered on his face.

I got one. I got one? James is on the ground. I stared. He's dead.

Huh. He really is dead.

He's dead? I struggled to keep breathing. Dead. Killed. By me. His district partner ran over to him, checking his pulse, gaping at his injury. I knew it was hopeless. She didn't even pay attention to me. I could kill another, right now.

Jaycie and Alex took this time to run out of the woods. It was all a blur now, all instinct. I dodged the arrows, bobbing left and right. They were getting closer. Emily's shouts were getting louder. She was angry. She glared at me. No, glare didn't cut it. She wanted to murder me.

_Remember, _I heard a voice say. _Everyone's playing to win. Trust no one._

No one...

_No one..._

The knife.

I heard it. I twirled around, the knife flying into my arm.

* * *

Well! I love cliffhangers, don't you? :D

This was that foreshadow I told you guys about! Remember? "I caught an unusual glint in her eyes." Last chapter! Hellooo~!

This was kinda fun to write. It was challenging. And the whole time I was listening to music, so I pretended I didn't hear or see the mailman by my door. I don't like strangers. Particularly mailmen. Weird, innit?

Btw, a lot of the character behavior is based off of what my friends ACTUALLY DID during our mock-hunger games party. I got sixth place because my friend, when I was shooing away her alliance member with a foam mace, she (Emily) literally STABBED ME IN THE BACK and decided to COMMIT FAKE-SUICIDE CUZ SHE DIDN'T WANT TO FIGHT! I was all like "D: ugh, I'm so depressed!" and she was all like, "sorryyyyy", and I was like, "now I owe my mom five bucks cuz I didn't make it to the final three!" Yeah, I made a bet with my mom. I was fake-District 7 at the party, too. My friend who was District 1, but District 6 in the story was all, like, surrounded by aforementioned backstabber and friend, so I ran over, pretended to fight them off for him (we were in a secret alliance) and as soon as they ran off, I gave him to whopping whacks with mah foam axe-thang! He was so angry, I started CRACKING UP - but then his sister asked how he died and I had to lie and she found out later and chased me. Then I hid for a while, fought off about everyone else (I was a target too! 6th place while about 15 people try to slaughter you is hard in a tiny front and back yard!) for a bit, made a fake-alliance with Kirsten (who was District 5, haha) and ended up ditching it cuz I couldn't hide where she was hiding. (She was small and could hide in trees, I could only duck behind a shed and get surrounded and use a backpack as a battering ram/shield.) My friend was also disqualified for running through a garden. Then we swam in a pool (I was brooding all the while - "sixth place? WTF, MAN!") and ate an edible arrangement.

Now that I realize it, most of the Careers were wussies. Oh, and there was the stupid "two people can win if they are in an alliance" so Kirsten won along with the sister of the guy I backstabbed (Kelly). At the end, the one and only Gamemaker made all the dead tributes mutts and we got to attack everyone. Then Kirsten backstabbed District 12 and won. We all voted for her to be first and Kelly second, cuz I only brought one fake laurel crown thing for the victor.

What to do now... I'm gonna go have some toast. Happy breakfast!


	8. The Feast

Chapter 8

At first, the pain didn't register. I felt frozen, gaping at the weapon embedded in my flesh. It just seemed so out of place that I tried to ignore it at first, like it was a dream and I wasn't really hurt. Then it hit me - _it's embedded in my flesh_. Searing pain from my throat alerted me that I was screaming.

I pulled it out of the muscle and dropped it, unable to move my left arm too well, blood flowing profusely. Jaycie and Alex are now right next to me, and Emily just got up and ran. I'd do the same, if I wasn't surrounded. Jaycie had only a few arrows left, Alex only held a shortsword, and Kirsten had a collection of knives and other weapons at her fingertips.

This could be it for me. I close my eyes and sigh. _Goodbye, everyone. _

My first instinct now is to kill. Kill, slaughter, get them _away_. I open my eyes as Alex runs towards me, tackling me to the ground. I yelped as I hit the dirt. She may be small, but she's strong. She's got most of her weight on my injured arm, and all I can do is scream in pain. Kirsten started shouting too, so I guess Jaycie must be attacking her.

Alex slammed my jaw with the hilt of her sword, my neck twisting at the impact. I struggled to get up, by my arm... felt like it was being ripped off...

Then I looked at James. The corpse next to me. Dead. His family crying out for him to get up and start fighting again. His eyes were empty, staring up.

Lifeless.

_No, _a part of me yelled. There was a voice inside me that told me that I didn't want to die. That I had to fight.

I will not end up like him.

"GET OFF!" I shouted, punching Alex square in the nose. I managed to push her off of me, knocking her on the ground, dazed. I stood up, grabbing the ax, and whacked her like I would tree trunks. Three times. Terrible shrieking. She went still.

A cannon fired.

_Now,_ I thought. Everything was fading out, spinning away, my eyes focusing and defocusing. Yet I still ran off. I stumbled away, tripping occasionally, but getting up and running towards the woods. To shelter.

I didn't bother to look back. I could've sworn I heard Jaycie shouting. What about Kirsten? I don't know. Maybe she's dead.

I wove between the trees. Leaves hung in front of me like curtains, and I pushed them out of the way, making my way to the caves. Why? I didn't know.

Suddenly, my arm felt heavy. Then weightless. Then soaked with blood. I was so dizzy, I couldn't see straight. But I kept going. I had to. I ran into Kirsten's old camp and ransacked everything, looking for something that may help me.

Then I realized - she might've taken it with her. I gasped and sputtered, heaving myself up and speeding as fast as I can back to the Cornucopia.

_Hurry_, I urged my body. My footsteps brought up dust in the dry, summer heat. My throat felt like it's burning. My arm flailed awkwardly at my side, unusable.

I heard a cannon fire again. I stopped, dazed, and realized what that could've meant. The feast is over? Then the hovercraft is coming. Then another cannon fires. What? Who could that be? Maybe Octavius?

I keep going, bursting into the clearing. I stumble over. I see James's corpse. And Alex's. But no Kirsten or Jaycie.

"But... what? How?" I slurred.

If the hovercraft came, they wouldn't just leave the others here. That doesn't make sense. Then I spot Jaycie's bow on the ground about thirty yards away. I stare at it before jogging over and picking it up, unsure what it meant. I know my arm is bad, so I take off my jacket and assess the injury, trying to think straight long enough to keep myself from bleeding to death.

When I was finished tying a makeshift bandage out of the jacket, I was aware of the shadow that loomed over me. I looked up to see two people falling from the sky.

* * *

Birds. Remember how I said I love birds? How the way they would sing and fly would always cheer me up? Well, I didn't account for mutts.

Kirsten and Jaycie fell from the sky. They hit the ground, dead. Slash marks were carved into their bodies like patterns. I caught sight of their insides, and it was enough to make me dry heave.

Then, a caw. I heard a screech of triumph, of _pride_, and looked up to see enormous birds with wingspans the size of three Octaviuses circling above. The sunlight reflected off of their bronze talons, and my heart dropped into my stomach. Their feathers stood rigid, metallic even, and they glided through the air like a hot knife through cold butter. They glare at me, and it takes a while to even realize I'm running.

Trees and plants fly past me as I dart into the woods. I hear the beating of wings. the beating my heart, and deep down, I know I won't make it. They're too fast. I can barely stand up straight.

I looked back to see them completely uproot trees. They charged through them like they were a fence of toothpicks. They were so close now. I could see their beaks snapping and gnashing...

Until I caught the shimmer of a blue parachute.

* * *

TA-DA! THAT WAS CHAPTER EIGHT. WE'RE ALMOST DONE. Now, in light of that shift-key abusing, I have some news!

I now have a fictionpress (which is like fanfiction, but for original stories)! My account over there is the same as this one. Eventually, I plan on writing some original stuff.

Also, sorry for not reviewing in a while. I won't make excuses, I'm just really lazy and sometimes busy. And I sleep a lot in the summer. Okay, no MORE excuses. Since next weekend I'll be at my grandparents' house, there will probably be no updates at that time. Maybe earlier, not sure. I'M GOIN' TO A RODEO, THOUGH. HOORAY!


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